The present disclosure relates to an ice maker, and more particularly, to an ice maker including piping for water drainage therein.
Among ice makers, a self-contained type ice maker is generally installed below a counter or a sink in built-in manner.
Such a self-contained type ice maker includes an ice storage portion therein and is configured to allow ice stored in the ice storage portion to be extracted therefrom through the opening of a door provided in the front surface thereof.
On the other hand, when such built-in type ice makers are repaired or cleaned, negative attributes in which the separation of components thereof is not easy due to relatively cramped space therein may be present.
In particular, ice makers commonly include a drainage device to allow water generated in an ice storage portion and water overflowing from a water tank to be discharged therethrough. Since a drainage hole of such a drainage device is generally disposed in the rear of a product, a pipe of the drainage device is provided in a rear portion of the product.
In the case of ice makers having such a structure, when the ice storage portion is separated for the sake of maintenance and cleaning of the product, difficulties in separating the pipe of the drainage device from the ice storage portion and the water tank may be present.
In order to solve such a problem, in ice makers according to the related art as well as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,841, structures are provided in which a pipe of a drainage device is connected to an ice storage portion and a water tank in a forward portion of a product, such that the separation of the pipe by a user may be facilitated at the front of the product.
However, in such ice makers according to the related art, since a pipe is extended from a drainage hole located in the rear of a product to a front portion of the product, a length of the pipe is relatively increased. In the case that such a pipe is not appropriately disposed, water may not be entirely discharged and may remain therein for an extended period of time, thereby causing the interior of the pipe to be contaminated.
In a case in which the interior of a pipe is contaminated, a sanitation problem may occur in which ice in the ice storage may also be contaminated.
In addition, since such a pipe has a relatively long length, pipe interior cleaning may not be easy.
Furthermore, an additional component such as a clamp or the like for the connection of a pipe to an ice storage portion and a water tank may be required, and defects may occur in such an additional component at the time of performing coupling and separation of components and such a component may also be deformed due to use thereof for a long period of time, thus causing loss of functionality.